It's March, 2050. Frank and Mary Smith wake up in their comfortable house in the morning and turn on the bedroom computer to get the latest news. They get used to reading The Times over the years. The only difference is that they changed to electronic newspapers many years ago.
After breakfast, as they watch the screen, Mary orders the household robot to make coffee for them. Frank is a computer engineer, working for several companies. He goes into the study to take part in a video conference with his partners around the world.
Mary takes a quick look at the shopping channels at home before beginning the video call to talk to her assistant. She also has a job and she is doing medical researches.
Frank and Mary have one daughter, Louise, who also has her own work station at home. She goes to school only one day a week, mainly to play with other students. Louise is studying Chinese at present. Chinese has become an important language in the world.
According to the family doctor, Louise will live to at least 130 years old. Her wish is to work for a few decades(十年)and then spend her time on music and painting.
A kind of little cars may some day take the place of today's cars. If everyone drives such cars in the future, there will be less pollution. There will also be more space for parking cars in cities, and the streets will be less crowded. Three such cars can fit in the space now needed for one car of the usual size.
The little cars will cost much less to own and to drive. Driving will be safer too, as these little cars can go only 65 kilometres an hour. The cars of the future will be fine for getting around a city, but they will not be useful for long trips. Little cars will go 450 kilometres before needing to stop for more gas (汽油).
If big cars are still used along with the small ones, two sets of roads will be needed in the future. Some roads will be used for the big, fast cars and other roads will be needed for the slower, small ones.
Have you ever (hear) of the Stonehenge? Every year it (receive) more than 750, 000 visitors. People like to go to this place especially June as they want to see the sun (rise) on the longest day of the year.
For many years, historians believed Stonehenge was a temple where ancient leaders (try) to communicate with the gods.
, historian Paul Stoker thinks this can't (be) true because Stonehenge was built so (much) centuries ago. Other people believe the stones have a medical purpose. They think the stones can prevent illness and keep people (health).
No one is sure what Stonehenge was used for. Some think it might be a burial place or a place to honour ancestors. Others think was built to celebrate a victory over an enemy.